“The doctors have advised him that long term it would be better for him to put football down,” Smart said.

A medical disqualification means the player retains his scholarship but doesn’t count towards the team’s yearly scholarship limit of 85. That wasn’t an issue this year – Georgia was already under 80 – but could be an issue later.

Jurkovic came to campus as an intriguing late recruiting addition, having originally signed with Ohio State but then failing to qualify. But Jurkovic never saw the field at Georgia.

First he tore his ACL during preseason practice, then re-injured his knee this past spring.